Wombs for Rent or Unethical Exploitation? The Surrogacy Debate Heats Up in Mexico
Mexico's surrogacy boom sparks fierce debate. Proponents see a path to parenthood for same-sex couples. Opponents fear exploitation and trafficking. Women's rights groups and activists urge a complete ban, calling it "rent-a-womb" and a violation of children's rights.
A miracle of modern science meets a messy reality show. That, in a nutshell, is the world of surrogacy. Gone are the days of the stork; now, thanks to leaps in reproductive technology, embryos can hitch a nine-month ride in a different woman's body. But this brave new world throws up more questions than a confetti cannon at a baby shower.
First, there's the "commissioning couple" – the folks yearning to be parents but facing biological hurdles. Then there's the "surrogate," the fertile woman carrying the pregnancy (sometimes for a fee, sometimes out of altruism). This may sound straightforward, but emotions are a wild card. What if, midway through, the surrogate bonds with the "little bun in the oven," a wrenching scenario explored in the tearjerker film "The Baby Mamas." Or perhaps the commissioning couple hits a rough patch and decides they're not ready for parenthood.
